Genesis 36:22

Summary

Genesis 36:22 lists the sons of Lotan, named Hori and Hemam, and identifies Timna as Lotan's sister. This verse is part of a genealogical list of Edomite clans descended from Esau's line, specifically continuing the descendants of Seir the Horite.

Key words

• va-yihyu ("and they were", H1961) — the qal verb in narrative form with the vav-consecutive construction, opening the clause with "and [they] came to be," a standard formula for introducing genealogical entries.
• bene- ("sons of", H1121A) — masculine plural noun in construct state, grammatically bound to the following name Lotan, meaning "the sons belonging to Lotan."
• Chori ("Hori", H2753H) — proper name of one of Lotan's sons; note this name is distinct from the ethnonym "Horite" (Chori, H2753) used elsewhere in the chapter for the broader people group, though the consonantal form is identical.
• achot ("sister of", H0269) — feminine singular noun in construct state, paired with Lotan to specify whose sister Timna is.
• Timna (H8555) — proper name, grammatically the subject of the final clause, placed in final position after the construct phrase "sister of Lotan."

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence structure follows a typical genealogical pattern: the verb va-yihyu ("and they were") governs the construct phrase bene-Lotan ("sons of Lotan"), followed by the two names Chori and Heimam joined by the conjunction ve- ("and", H9002). The construct chain bene-Lotan grammatically subordinates "sons" to "Lotan," expressing possession or filial relationship without any additional word for "of."

The second clause begins with a new conjunction va- attached to achot ("sister of"), again in construct with Lotan, followed by the name Timna placed at the very end of the verse. This word order — construct phrase first, then the proper name — is common in Hebrew genealogical notices and places grammatical emphasis on the relational term (sister) before naming the individual. The verb yihyu from the first clause is not repeated for the second clause about Timna; the sentence simply juxtaposes the two statements without an explicit verb of being for Timna, using the construct relationship itself to convey the assertion.

Differences between versions

The LXX renders Heimam (הֵימָ֑ם) as Αἱμάν (Haiman), a minor transliteration variant. The Vulgate renders the same name as "Heman," differing slightly in vocalization from both the Hebrew Heimam and the LXX Haiman. These are transliteration differences in rendering the same proper name across the three textual traditions, not differences in meaning or genealogical content.